Disappointing to lose but Limerick deserved it and what a day for them. Delighted for people like Richie Bennis and Ciaran Carey. In the last 25 years Offaly, Clare, Wexford, Tipp, Cork, KK, Galway and now Limerick have won. That is a reasonable spread.

Only Waterford are missing from the mainstream hurling strongholds.

And Antrim............ Oh well maybe not! Sky coverage was good by the way, although Nicky English does his best to sound if it's the end of the world. Scenes at the end were brilliant, the pure ecstasy was hair tingling.

Limerick clearly the better team in a match riddled with errors, poor shooting, poor passing and skill wise the quality was low (as was the refereeing for the most part). The game was rescued by the excitement in the last 12-15 mins. Glad for Limerick, it would have been devastating for them had they even drawn a game they should have won by 10.

Limerick clearly the better team in a match riddled with errors, poor shooting, poor passing and skill wise the quality was low (as was the refereeing for the most part). The game was rescued by the excitement in the last 12-15 mins. Glad for Limerick, it would have been devastating for them had they even drawn a game they should have won by 10.

Listening to Marty Morrissey would put years on ye.

That would be my assessment of the game as well, not a great game, but you can't have it all and Limerick won't care a jot.

It again shows how freakish Brian Cody was in keeping Kilkenny coming back for more every year, desire unquenched. All year Galway have been patchy and 5% off where they were last year. Two in a row is beyond most counties because most are happy to win an All Ireland rather than build a legacy.

Brian managed some of the greatest hurlers to play the game in the modern era but he was ably assisted by a very weak Leinster championship for large parts of it and time to peak for the AI semi-final with big gaps of three weeks between games.

This years championship was a pure slog with teams playing 7 games in less time to win the AI.

Galways inability to bring reinforcements from the bench when it was plain to see some lads weren't fully fit was their downfall.Big panels of 20+ hurlers able to impact the game are essential now.

I tend to agree with that. I was afraid that the final was going to end up being a damp squib that the championship definitely didn't merit. My fears about Limerick's shooting came true, but I didn't expect Galway to suffer from the same malaise. That saved Limerick. The last 15 minutes rescued the game, and gave the championship the climax it deserved at the end.

There was one moment that summed up the 'new' Limerick attitude, and it happened very early in the game, maybe 2 or 3 minutes in. Cian Lynch won a ball on the ground, via a chop pickup (where you chop the sliotar into the ground and it comes up into your hand). I thought it was audacious and in the first few minutes I think it showed Limerick felt they were comfortable there. The fact he did it again in the last couple of minutes when the fat was was in the fire was unreal.

re Marty, he's too scripted. He has these monologues ready to go, and by hook or by crook he's going to get them in. He started on the Limerick victory speech way too early. Talking about Ballybrown, Kilmallock and ''Downtown Patrickswell" (FFS). I said to my wife that he was a bit early bringing out that speech. And as for the 'Linger' stuff, painful and forced. Marty's introduction on radio to the final last year was very good. It made the hair on your neck stand up. The problem there is it went viral, and I think Marty now feels everything has to have a 'moment'. Yesterday was a day when a few well placed words would have been enough as the emotion was obvious. but he had to go full blown soliloquy and he gilded the lily.

I tend to agree with that. I was afraid that the final was going to end up being a damp squib that the championship definitely didn't merit. My fears about Limerick's shooting came true, but I didn't expect Galway to suffer from the same malaise. That saved Limerick. The last 15 minutes rescued the game, and gave the championship the climax it deserved at the end.

There was one moment that summed up the 'new' Limerick attitude, and it happened very early in the game, maybe 2 or 3 minutes in. Cian Lynch won a ball on the ground, via a chop pickup (where you chop the sliotar into the ground and it comes up into your hand). I thought it was audacious and in the first few minutes I think it showed Limerick felt they were comfortable there. The fact he did it again in the last couple of minutes when the fat was was in the fire was unreal.

re Marty, he's too scripted. He has these monologues ready to go, and by hook or by crook he's going to get them in. He started on the Limerick victory speech way too early. Talking about Ballybrown, Kilmallock and ''Downtown Patrickswell" (FFS). I said to my wife that he was a bit early bringing out that speech. And as for the 'Linger' stuff, painful and forced. Marty's introduction on radio to the final last year was very good. It made the hair on your neck stand up. The problem there is it went viral, and I think Marty now feels everything has to have a 'moment'. Yesterday was a day when a few well placed words would have been enough as the emotion was obvious. but he had to go full blown soliloquy and he gilded the lily.

Incredible belief in his own ability to do that when possession was so important. Gearóid Hegarty uses this regularly also but was relatively quiet yesterday.

Logged

"As I get older I notice the years less and the seasons more." John Hubbard

Galway were a team running on fumes yesterday and had no viable options to bring in really, Burke and Flynn were always going to come on but apart from them the bench was very bare. The job for Galway for the winter is to find those few extra players, Fintan Burke was immense for the u21s this year, I'm sure we'll see him and a few more brought in for the league. Disappointing to lose but losing to a team like Limerick who were in a similar position to ourselves last year makes it a bit easier. Well done Limerick!

I tend to agree with that. I was afraid that the final was going to end up being a damp squib that the championship definitely didn't merit. My fears about Limerick's shooting came true, but I didn't expect Galway to suffer from the same malaise. That saved Limerick. The last 15 minutes rescued the game, and gave the championship the climax it deserved at the end.

There was one moment that summed up the 'new' Limerick attitude, and it happened very early in the game, maybe 2 or 3 minutes in. Cian Lynch won a ball on the ground, via a chop pickup (where you chop the sliotar into the ground and it comes up into your hand). I thought it was audacious and in the first few minutes I think it showed Limerick felt they were comfortable there. The fact he did it again in the last couple of minutes when the fat was was in the fire was unreal.

re Marty, he's too scripted. He has these monologues ready to go, and by hook or by crook he's going to get them in. He started on the Limerick victory speech way too early. Talking about Ballybrown, Kilmallock and ''Downtown Patrickswell" (FFS). I said to my wife that he was a bit early bringing out that speech. And as for the 'Linger' stuff, painful and forced. Marty's introduction on radio to the final last year was very good. It made the hair on your neck stand up. The problem there is it went viral, and I think Marty now feels everything has to have a 'moment'. Yesterday was a day when a few well placed words would have been enough as the emotion was obvious. but he had to go full blown soliloquy and he gilded the lily.

Lynch does that pickup a lot. Seems to be his trademark. He is a cracking wee player him and still very young.

I see on the belief thing that the sports psychologist Limerick have has been involved in winning all irelands with four different teams. She's from sligo.

Galway were a team running on fumes yesterday and had no viable options to bring in really, Burke and Flynn were always going to come on but apart from them the bench was very bare. The job for Galway for the winter is to find those few extra players, Fintan Burke was immense for the u21s this year, I'm sure we'll see him and a few more brought in for the league. Disappointing to lose but losing to a team like Limerick who were in a similar position to ourselves last year makes it a bit easier. Well done Limerick!

Galway were very lucky with injuries last year especially down the spine of the team. I think we should get another all Ireland if the panel is boosted and injuries to key personnel are avoided.

Galway were a team running on fumes yesterday and had no viable options to bring in really, Burke and Flynn were always going to come on but apart from them the bench was very bare. The job for Galway for the winter is to find those few extra players, Fintan Burke was immense for the u21s this year, I'm sure we'll see him and a few more brought in for the league. Disappointing to lose but losing to a team like Limerick who were in a similar position to ourselves last year makes it a bit easier. Well done Limerick!

Galway were very lucky with injuries last year especially down the spine of the team. I think we should get another all Ireland if the panel is boosted and injuries to key personnel are avoided.

Congrats to Limerick, was not a classic by any stretch but they wont give a hoot today. I called it for Galway but they did exactly what was feared and couldnt bring the intensity to match Limerick.

Still plenty left in that Galway team for a couple of years at least and there doesnt seem to be any slowing of the conveyor belt of talent either.

I think this opens it up perfectly for next year with 3/4 teams thinking they have a realistic shot at winning it.

Galway were a team running on fumes yesterday and had no viable options to bring in really, Burke and Flynn were always going to come on but apart from them the bench was very bare. The job for Galway for the winter is to find those few extra players, Fintan Burke was immense for the u21s this year, I'm sure we'll see him and a few more brought in for the league. Disappointing to lose but losing to a team like Limerick who were in a similar position to ourselves last year makes it a bit easier. Well done Limerick!

Galway were very lucky with injuries last year especially down the spine of the team. I think we should get another all Ireland if the panel is boosted and injuries to key personnel are avoided.

Congrats to Limerick, was not a classic by any stretch but they wont give a hoot today. I called it for Galway but they did exactly what was feared and couldnt bring the intensity to match Limerick.

Still plenty left in that Galway team for a couple of years at least and there doesnt seem to be any slowing of the conveyor belt of talent either.

I think this opens it up perfectly for next year with 3/4 teams thinking they have a realistic shot at winning it.

LimerickGalwayCorkClareKilkennyWaterfordTipperary

All of those teams would think they have a realistic shot at winning it.

I'm back home in Manchester after watching Galway loose to Monaghan, Dublin & Limerick so a very disappointing few weeks for me; Couldn't make it to Thurles for the semi so missed out on that too. Its very rare that anyone outside of the big 3 in Hurling or big 2 in Football that any other counties have an opportunity to win back to backs in either code so Sunday was naturally a disappointment.

Galway were very flat as were the fans, there was a huge difference in noise even when both teams were named in Croker. Galway needed to score a goal a lot earlier to get going, they desperately needed that spark that wasn't their for the first 70 minutes. I suspect its the 2 replays that did for Galway and they just weren't able to match a fresher Limerick team but we'll never know. The defence of the crown would have been planned meticulously but wouldn't have accounted for replays, I'm sure if O'Donoghue had known about the replays in advance he'd have given more game time to the fringe players during the round robin.

Looking forward to next year there's no reason why Galway shouldn't be challenging again, they'll need a few players to be pushing closer to that starting 15 and a few minor tactical changes but there's no rebuild required at all. The bookies have Galway favourites at are 5/2 for next year with Limerick next at 9/2.

I'm back home in Manchester after watching Galway loose to Monaghan, Dublin & Limerick so a very disappointing few weeks for me; Couldn't make it to Thurles for the semi so missed out on that too. Its very rare that anyone outside of the big 3 in Hurling or big 2 in Football that any other counties have an opportunity to win back to backs in either code so Sunday was naturally a disappointment.

Galway were very flat as were the fans, there was a huge difference in noise even when both teams were named in Croker. Galway needed to score a goal a lot earlier to get going, they desperately needed that spark that wasn't their for the first 70 minutes. I suspect its the 2 replays that did for Galway and they just weren't able to match a fresher Limerick team but we'll never know. The defence of the crown would have been planned meticulously but wouldn't have accounted for replays, I'm sure if O'Donoghue had known about the replays in advance he'd have given more game time to the fringe players during the round robin.

Looking forward to next year there's no reason why Galway shouldn't be challenging again, they'll need a few players to be pushing closer to that starting 15 and a few minor tactical changes but there's no rebuild required at all. The bookies have Galway favourites at are 5/2 for next year with Limerick next at 9/2.

So what is is with Galway fans? They had good turnouts for the round robin games and I think they probably outnumbered Clare fans in the first match. Then all of a sudden when the cracks appeared, Clare outnumbered them 3 to 1 in the second game (some tickets still available) and demand for the final was nothing like it was last year in Galway. And needless to mention the football v Dublin?

I'm back home in Manchester after watching Galway loose to Monaghan, Dublin & Limerick so a very disappointing few weeks for me; Couldn't make it to Thurles for the semi so missed out on that too. Its very rare that anyone outside of the big 3 in Hurling or big 2 in Football that any other counties have an opportunity to win back to backs in either code so Sunday was naturally a disappointment.

Galway were very flat as were the fans, there was a huge difference in noise even when both teams were named in Croker. Galway needed to score a goal a lot earlier to get going, they desperately needed that spark that wasn't their for the first 70 minutes. I suspect its the 2 replays that did for Galway and they just weren't able to match a fresher Limerick team but we'll never know. The defence of the crown would have been planned meticulously but wouldn't have accounted for replays, I'm sure if O'Donoghue had known about the replays in advance he'd have given more game time to the fringe players during the round robin.

Looking forward to next year there's no reason why Galway shouldn't be challenging again, they'll need a few players to be pushing closer to that starting 15 and a few minor tactical changes but there's no rebuild required at all. The bookies have Galway favourites at are 5/2 for next year with Limerick next at 9/2.

So what is is with Galway fans? They had good turnouts for the round robin games and I think they probably outnumbered Clare fans in the first match. Then all of a sudden when the cracks appeared, Clare outnumbered them 3 to 1 in the second game (some tickets still available) and demand for the final was nothing like it was last year in Galway. And needless to mention the football v Dublin?